


Thank You

by Mylls



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Castiel/Dean Winchester First Kiss, Dean Winchester in Denial, M/M, Post-Episode: s12e12 Stuck In The Middle (With You), Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:00:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27593087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mylls/pseuds/Mylls
Summary: After the fight in the barn with the prince of hell, Ramiel, a restless Dean roams the halls of the bunker reflecting and deflecting thoughts of a certain angel.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	Thank You

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own these characters.  
> My first fanfiction, so please be kind. Comments are very much appreciated.

It was a long freakin’ day- the overcast sky contributed to the grey thoughts from the memories of the days’ events. Dean felt drained and sore from the battle with the prince of hell, Ramiel. Surprisingly, Crowley really stepped up to the plate to help the Winchesters and their angel out, and Dean was silently grateful for it. Watching his best friend slowly die in agony was the hardest thing he has had to deal with in a long while. The image of that black poison gushing out of his best friend’s mouth kept forcing its way into Dean’s subconscious so much so that he couldn’t shake the image nor the feeling of panic and fear that accompanied it.

Which is why the oldest Winchester was walking up and down the halls of the bunker at 3 in the morning with a beer in hand. Post-case adrenaline was coursing through his restless body. And some other feeling he was not quite ready to give a name to that had everything to do with a certain angel. He quietly padded around the corner, passed Sam’s room-the sound of snoring softly escaping through the door. After being plagued for years with nightmares and terrifying memories of yellow-eyed demons, it was comforting to know that Sam was finally allowed some sort of vengeance and closure, even if it was not the same yellow eyes. 

Sam deserves a good night’s sleep. At least one of us can get some shut eye.

He stopped dragging his feet through the hall of the bunker’s barracks and stood in front of Castiel’s door. Though the poison left his body, the angel was still weak, and recuperation was a slow process. The brothers offered up a vacant bedroom in the bunker for Castiel to rest in. Not that he really slept. But at least it was more comfortable than sitting in one of the library’s chairs all night.

Dean stared at the closed door and took a sip of his now-warm beer. What Castiel said kept floating in his head- “Knowing you has changed me. The things we’ve shared…. I love you. I love all of you”. 

That one word caught in his throat- “love”. It was so rarely used in Dean’s life. Yet, it was not something he took for granted. He felt it- of course he felt it. With all his being, he felt it. Love for his younger brother, Sam; love for his mother, Mary. Love for his close friends, Jody, Claire- those he considers family. Familial love was easy, comfortable. And Dean tried to pin Castiel in that same category. Outwardly, he declared it- Castiel is family, no question. Because Dean equates family with love. It was all so simple.

But let’s face it. The feeling he has for the fallen angel was different. It’s not every day that someone saves you from hell or defies heaven for you; literally falls from the heavens for you. Call it profound, call it ineffable, call it whatever the hell you want. But inwardly, Dean knew. Whatever it was, it was so passed familial, and hovered over dangerous uncharted territory. And Dean was not ready for it to make its landing.

The sound of someone shuffling about on the other side of the bedroom door jostled Dean out of his thoughts. Preparing himself, he took a deep sigh and softly knocked on the door. 

The door creaked open, revealing a rumpled looking angel. He was dressed in borrowed sweats and a solid black t-shirt that Dean gave him. It was to replace his usual suit and tan coat until the angel got his mojo back up and running to magic the torn and dirtied outfit back to pristine conditions.

“Hey,” Dean mumbled out.

“Hello, Dean.” Castiel’s familiar tone crushed the silence of the night. 

Dean smiled, relieved to hear that low gravelly voice, almost like a monotone song to his ears- one that washed away the ache and pain from the hunter’s bones. Castiel stood back and opened the door a little more, allowing the hunter to step inside the room. 

He gave the angel a once-over, stopping at those deep blue eyes. “You- you look good…uh. Are you feeling ok?”. He inwardly winced at his own stutter.

Keep it together, Winchester.

“I feel slightly better. That poison took a lot out of me. I should be back to full power in a few days’ time.”

Dean nodded in response. A silence passed between them.

How can silence be comforting and awkward at the same time?

Dean cleared his throat, trying simultaneously to clear the unease but failing dismally. He broke their gaze and dared to step over the threshold that is the doorway and sat on the edge of the bed. 

It’s still safe. Just keep it simple.

“So, princes of hell, huh? Azazel, now Ramiel. Two down. Two to go. I’m guessin’ it’s probably too much to hope that they’re on a Disney prince level of bad.” Dean chuckled at his own joke.

Castiel tilted his head in confusion. “Yes. Asmodeus and Dagon are left- both formidable demons not to be taken lightly. It will take immense amounts of power to defeat them should we need to.” Castiel slowly moved to sit beside Dean.

“Well, let’s hope we don’t run into them anytime soon.”

“Dean,” Castiel started hesitantly. He knew the hunter well enough that discussing emotions and feelings were not in the realm of Dean’s comfort zone. “What I said earlier- “  
Dean put his beer-less hand up to stop him. “Hey, you don’t have to say anything. I mean, you were dying. It’s bound to get emotional.”

“Dean. I meant every word.” Dean looked up- green eyes locked with blue.

“Yea,” Dean unintentionally whispered. 

Why is my heart beating so fast?

Dean felt the tension in the room and quickly looked down to try to dispel it. Rolling the beer bottle in between his hands gave him something to focus on.

“Thank you, Dean. For everything.”

Dean looked up to see the half-smile form on the angel’s face. He couldn’t help but smile back as indiscernibly nervous as he was. The tension getting too much for him, Dean stood and gave his friend a gentle smack on the shoulder. The hunter crossed the threshold of the door and turned once he got to the other side- back to safer territory.

“I should, um. You should get some rest then.” Dean rubbed the back of his neck, his obvious tell of nerves kicking in.

Castiel stood to close the bedroom door, his hand hovered over the knob. 

“Goodnight, Dean,” the angel spoke softly.

And just when Dean thought he could breathe easy again, Castiel leaned over and pressed full lips to soft ones. It was so chaste and so quick. Dean could almost imagine it never happened if not for the ghost of warm breath across his cheek. Castiel slowly stepped back, his eyes steadfastly focused on the door.

A little surprised, a little shocked Dean managed to mumble some sort of ‘goodnight’ before Castiel closed the door quietly, thus putting the wall back up between the two…  
friends? Well, definitely not brothers now. 

Before his thoughts could form some sort of logical reasoning because well, denial is always so much easier, Dean stumbled to his bedroom, lightheaded as he felt.

He finished the last dregs of his beer and put headphones to ears, listening to the comforting sounds of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Thank You’ as he laid down and closed his eyes, falling asleep to the feel of full lips against his.


End file.
